Device for cleaning and polishing knives and the like.



I. c. IIDY.

DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING KNIVES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AHL-21, |916.

. 1,1 88,582. Patented J Vune 27, 1916.

lll/1 THB COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH oo., WASHINGTON. III.l Cl.'

DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING KNIVES AND THE LIKVE.

Application filed April 21, 1916.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, Jol-1N COVINGTON T1DY,.a subject of I-Iis Majesty the King of Great Britain, and a resident of London,

England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Cleaning and Polishing Knives and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for cleaning and polishing knives and the like and has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive cleaning device by means of which knives can be readily cleaned.

The invention has reference to knife cleaners comprising a box like casing open at one end and provided with a hinged lid so that if a knife is reciprocated from the open end between a pad on the underside of the lid and a similar pad within the box, the cleaning operation can be readily and expedi.

tiously performed.

My present invention consists broadly in providing means whereby two operating apertures are provided, one for primary cleaning of very dirty knives and a second for final polishing or for use where the knives are not very dirty.

It has been usual to provide two cleaning surfaces in a device having a book-like formation and consisting of three plates or slabs hinged together at one end; there are disadvantages connected with this type of apparatus, one being that the plates or slabs have to be of considerably greater width than is absolutely necessary for the easy accommodation of the oscillating knife, for the reason that if there is nothing to constrain the knife to its cleaning position it vis liable to slip out at the sides; this is not only dangerous but also results in a waste of knife powder, or whatever medium is used;,another disadvantage is that the grit or dirt is apt to fall from between the leaves and so limits the use of the article to certain places where the distribution of dirt is unimportant; and besides thel dirt and grit which escapes, the cleaning powder is liable to the same mishap which greatly deteriorates from the economic efficiency of the article as a whole. In some cases it has been found necessary to provide a special Specification of Letters Patent.

OFFICE..vv

JOHN COVINGTON TIDY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

Patented June 27, 1916.

Serial No. 92,668.

means .I provide in my invention for surmounting these diiiiculties comprise a re-` movable member provided with polishing surfaces on both sides and adapted t0 be inserted in position so that one side cooperates with a polishing surface on the underside of the lid and the other coperates with a polishing surface upon the bottom of the box. By this means damp pads-- which more rapidly and effectually remove bad stains-can beprovided and after operation upon the damp pads a nal polish can be effected upon the final polishing' pads.

In a device of this kind the box may be made comparatively narrow and so a great saving of polishing powder is eifected, and undue lateral movement of the knife, which is calculated to cut the cloth or other material of which the polishingA surfaces are formed, is prevented. Further there is no scattering of dirt or grit while the device is in `operation and it may conveniently be used in any place and set aside until it is desired to empty out the collected dirt, when it is only necessary to remove the central pad and shake the device over a dust bin or like receptacle.

It will be appreciated that both pads are subjected to the same pressure without change of position.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention, Figure 1 being a transverse section of the cleaner, and Fig. 2 a plan view thereof. y

Referring to these drawings I provide a box or casing l open at one end. The bottom of the box is provided with a pad 2 adapted to receive the polishing powder indicated at 3 and this pad can advantageously be kept a little damp. Resting upon this bottom pad I provide a removable board 4L provided with pads 5 and 6 one on each side. The pad 5 on the lower face coperates with the fixed pad- 2 on the bottom of the box and the pad 6 upon the upper face cooperates with a further pad 7 upon the y underside of a hinged lid'S. This lid is preferably hinged als indicated at 9 at the end remote from the open end an-d in operation pressure is applied at or near its free extremity which preferably has a raised portion or platform such as 10 to receive the hand of the operator. Aprojection 11 on the underside of the box provides a shoulder which may be rmly pressed against the edge of a bench, table, or the like, when the device is in use.

When it is desired to clean a knife, the article is first inserted between the damp bottom pad and the cooperating pad immediately above it and the knife is reciprocated longitudinally of the box. The knife is then withdrawn from this position and is inserted between the polishing pad upon the underside of the lid and that immediately beneath it whereby a final polish is applied. To clean the hilts of the knives and for cleaning forks and the like, the lid is turned about its hinge so as to expose its polishing pad which can thus be used after the fashion of a knife board, the hinge being so arranged as to permit the folding back of the lid without straining the hinge, and if desirable the lid may be provided upon its outer face with a block upon whichthe pressure can be applied during the main cleaning and polishing operations and which will serve as a support when the lid is laid open to enable its padded underside to be used as a knife board of ordinary form.

Having thus described my invention, claim:

A knife cleaning device comprising in combination a relatively long and relatively narrow box having two sides, a bottom and an end rigidly fastened together; a top for said box hinged to said end and having a cleaning pad fixed to the normally under surface thereof; a pad fixed to the top surface of said bottom; a removable member normally in said box having pads on both top and bottom thereof; and a raised portion on said top for applying pressure thereon. l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT D. JAMnsoN, L. PoLIAKoFF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

